Guest column: For breathing room, retire Allen coal plant

Last year, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation gave Memphis the alarming designation of “Asthma Capital” of the U.S. I am proud of my city for many reasons, but the people of Memphis deserve better than to be subjected to air quality that puts our health at risk, especially when we have solutions at our fingertips.

The Tennessee Valley Authority’s Allen coal plant in South Memphis is the biggest industrial polluter in Shelby County. It emits harmful smog and soot into our air that lead to serious health problems, including asthma and bronchitis.

The good news is that Memphis residents have the opportunity Tuesday to speak out at a meeting called by the Memphis and Shelby County Health Department. We can call for clean air, for retiring the outdated — over 50 years old — polluting coal plant, and for replacing it with clean energy.

Right now the Allen plant must apply for a new permit from the county Health Department. It is the department’s responsibility to enforce health-based air-quality standards. They have released the draft permit for the plant and are asking for public comment.

In its current form, the draft permit does not require sufficient monitoring to assure compliance with existing air safety rules.

As currently written, it also would allow the Allen plant to exceed the Clean Air Act’s new standard for sulfur dioxide (SO2). Sulfur dioxide causes serious lung damage and is closely linked to childhood asthma. This pollutant already affects Shelby County and beyond, according to an air-monitoring study by Winga Engineering. Any new permit limits for SO2 need to be reduced by more than 80 percent to assure the air is safe to breathe.

What are our options? The best estimate is that several hundred millions of dollars would be needed to update the pollution controls for the Allen plant.

Our money as TVA customers would be better spent creating new area jobs by increasing energy efficiency in our homes and businesses. Synapse Energy Economics Inc. analyzed TVA’s own efficiency study and found that increased energy efficiency is a real option instead of keeping the plant running.

Energy efficiency means more than energy-efficient light bulbs. We have an overabundance of old, leaky houses; workers are needed to upgrade insulation, caulk between wooden floors and walls as well as around windows and doors, insert gaskets around electrical outlets, and do other energy-saving tasks. Appliances that wear out are usually replaced with more energy-efficient ones.

Some of those will be produced in Memphis soon, meaning more jobs due to local demand.

“If every household cut its electricity use by just 2.5 percent, it would result in more than $10 million in utility bill savings and the creation of 152 jobs, as that money could be spent at area restaurants, stores, entertainment venues, education, charities and more,” according to a Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division report in 2011.

We should not allow the Allen plant to continue polluting the air we breathe. We should take the steps to increase energy efficiency and then begin switching to alternative energy like solar and wind.

The Memphis and Shelby County Health Department is accepting public comments on TVA’s request to renew the Allen plant’s operating permit. Join community members at 6 p.m. on Tuesday at Central Station at 545 South Main to call for cleaner air, cleaner energy and the retirement of the Allen coal plant. It’s overdue.

Sue A. Williams of Memphis is chairwoman of the Sierra Club Chickasaw Group.